With great esteem & regard I remain D^r Sir yr. friend & bro^r James Madison Cap^t G. S. Washington Benjamin H. Latrobe,[54] having been made architect of the capitol with the title of Surveyor of the Public Buildings, removed his family to Washington in 1807. To him we owe the corn-stalk columns with capitals of ripened ears in the vestibule of the Capitol, which Mrs. Trollope declared the most beautiful things she had seen in primitive America. He also designed the capitals of tobacco leaves and flowers crowning the columns in the vestibule of the old Senate Chamber, now the Supreme Court Room. He was likewise the architect of the St. John's Church. At the beginning of Madison's administration, in 1809, Congress appropriated $6,000 towards furnishing the White House, of which work he had charge; and mirrors, china, household linen, knives and other necessaries were bought, as were also sofas, chairs and hangings, not forgetting a pianoforte, for $458, and a guitar, for $28. The Madison coach was built by Fielding, of Philadelphia, at the modest price of $1,500. It was drawn by four horses. Mrs. Latrobe and Dolly had soon become friends, as the following note[55] shows. It was written while James Madison was the Secretary of State: To Mrs. Latrobe: My dear friend: I have read your books with pleasure & return them with many thanks. I intended to have presented them myself yesterday, but could not get my carriage in time. I long to see you, & hope you will not fail to send for the ride when you wish it, as I expect M^r. Latrobe has left you for Phil^a & that you will indulge low spirits. How is Lidia & the little ones? I have been sick for several days, & on this we shall have Doc^r Wistar of Phil^a to dine with us. He is an old friend, & I shall be gratified in having some account of our mutual acquaintances. We have nothing new in this quarter except Mrs. Fulton[56] the Bride, who arrived from New York 3 days ago. She was a Miss Livingston, & perhaps known to you. Even with this elegant addition to the City I feel melancholy without knowing wherefore. Can I send you anything? Can I do anything for you? If yes, will you still think of me with confidence & affection? I desire it from you if a faithful & tender friendship _has favor in your eyes_. Adieu for the moment, [Illustration: Signature of D P Madison] 8^th July 1808. At Madison's first inauguration Dolly wore buff-colored velvet and pearl ornaments, with a Paris turban with bird-of-Paradise plumes, and "looked and moved a queen." The inaugural ball was held at Long's Hotel, and about four hundred people were present. The first "four hundred."